Burning Willows
by HannahCake310
Summary: It's not the ones who saw them, the ones who lived, that were the problem. It was the ones who didn't survive, the ones they couldn't save who were trying to kill them.
1. Chapter 1: Game of Flames

**I own nothing. **

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**Burning Willows**

**Chapter 1: Game of Flames**

"NINJA TAG!" was the yell from Michelangelo that spurred four brothers into action.

Leonardo, hearing the yell from the kitchen table where he'd been reading and biting at an apple stood up sharply flipping over his book to save the page and strapping his swords to his back with a tug. Raphael, pausing in roughing up his punching bag smiled smugly while grabbing his twin sai and holstering them in his belt. Donatello, last one to hear the call to arms but quickest one to throw off his welding mask and secure his weapon was already to the front door of the Lair by the time Leonardo and Raphael sprinted over. Michelangelo, a smile plastered across his face and bouncing from foot to foot patted at his hips to ensure his trusty chucks were secured. He laughed then turned and without a glance behind him, bolted from the Lair. The other three sped after him. Donatello pressed hard on the controller at his belt, closing and locking the Lair door behind them.

Ninja Tag was a simplistic game made out of pure boredom and way too much pent up adrenaline between four teenagers. It was easy to understand and fun to play. Run the sewers until they were outside City limits then haul shell out of the tunnels and take to the roofs. Last one out of the sewer was it and first one to get back to the Lair was the winner. Winner could do whatever they wanted to the losers for three whole days after completion of the game. The winner was the one in charge excluding if they were to get involved in a skirmish with the Purple Dragons or Foot Clan, then reign would go back to Leonardo until such time as the fight was over. The last winner of Ninja Tag was Raphael and he had ordered his entire motorcycle magazine collection alphabetized by middle name of the editor. It was a miserable three days of cleaning his room, massaging his thick shoulders, waxing the back of his shell, and shining his sai's until they glinted. The other three turtles promised themselves Raphael would not win this round. They were running for revenge.

Already at the heels of his youngest brother and still going strong Leonardo yelled out, "What's the rules?"

"Prison Rules!" Raphael answered from the back. He hopped a double step and lowered his head pouring on more speed and bypassing Donatello with a smirk to get behind Leonardo. Prison rules meant no rules, just the way the Hothead liked it.

"Not fair, Raph!" Donatello lengthened his strides to match his older brother. Together the two turtles passed Leonardo.

"Hey! I thought I was supposed to be the leader!"

"You can _maybe_ lead us into battle, bro, but this is war! Every turtle for himself!" Raphael grit his teeth trying to reach Michelangelo. Though the rules may change every time they played the gist of the game would forever stay the same; last turtle out of the sewers was it.

Opening his mouth to laugh loudly, Michelangelo sprang across an open part of the sewer. He landed cleanly and continued on not glancing back to his brothers. They would make the jump, just like they always did.

"Rules are simple, dudes. Rooftops are a free-for-all. Sewers are off limits, fire escapes are for getting up and down only. And if you see a pretty girl, I call dibs."

"And no weapons," Leonardo supplied from the back. Three groans echoed through New York City's sewers.

"Come on, Leo," Michelangelo's winded yelped sounded loudly through the sewers as he stepped in something mushy on the ground. Sticky, gooey, _something_ flooded over his toes and around his foot. Mikey stuck hit tongue out and flung his foot back trying to get the stuff off while simultaneously continuing to lead his brothers to the manhole he was gunning for.

Taking advantage of his distraction, Raphael roughly shouldered Michelangelo to the side to gain the lead. "I ain't being it again!"

Running feet echoed off the slimy walls. Leonardo smiled as he looked at the back of his brothers heads. Michelangelo had just popped off a joke that had Donatello laughing and Raphael grunting as he was almost passed. The four of them lulled into a comfortable silence only broken by the sounds of them breathing as they ran towards their starting point. It made the eldest Hamato happy that the family had managed to pick themselves up and stitch their hearts back together again. It had been a horrible, exhausting, and heartbreaking last seven months.

It wasn't a battle to the death or a sword to the heart or an arrow through the chest. It didn't happen during a fight with the Foot Clan or a rumble with the Purple Dragons. It happened in the early morning hours when the Lair was still quiet and cold air blew through open vents to chill the concrete tiles around their home. Splinter had already been an older rat when he had touched the ooze and been mutated. The mutagen, according to Donatello, had helped prolong his life by many years. But rats weren't known to have a long life span – not even mutated rats.

Splinter had looked so frail and old covered in his favorite afghan blanket with incense burning and fogging through his small room. Donatello had stayed up for days on end working, researching, trying desperately to find something, anything that could heal the old rat. That could turn back the sands of time and reverse the effects of old age to help prolong his life. Raphael had gone out every night to scavenge around the dumpsters and sneak into small clinics to steal only the necessities or items that wouldn't be missed. Michelangelo made food, so much food – too much food. Anything and everything that Splinter had ever said he enjoyed eating was made. Small bites were taken but eventually, like clockwork, the food was packaged in Tupperware containers and set in the fridge only to be thrown away later when mold formed. Leonardo stayed by his father's side when the time arose and read to him. He read classics like _The Great Gatsby_, _To Kill a Mocking Bird_, and Shakespeare. But he also read to his father newer books that he'd found in trash heaps or April had dropped off for him like the _Harry Potter_ series and Tom Clancy novels about spies and espionage. He would read aloud for hours until his throat hurt, voice cracked and father slept then he would care for his brothers. Everyone took turns sleeping and keeping watch and eating. Nightly patrols were cut down from four turtle runs to a one turtle sprint with headphones and front facing cameras that clipped to the front or around the neck of each turtle. Donatello had created it to show a live feed from the wearer to the Lair so they all didn't have to go on patrol but they were always in constant contact.

They tried to act like everything was fine in the weeks that lead up to his passing but there was no denying the cloud that settled on the small family. They were still only teenagers, barely adults. They couldn't take care of themselves. Sure, Leonardo could be responsible and Donatello could build them anything they needed and Michelangelo could get them food and Raphael could protect them but Splinter... Splinter was their father. He was the provider and the protector and the one who taught them and disciplined them and showed them how to be. He'd saved them. Named them, taught them how to fight for themselves. Splinter had taught them never to give in, never give up.

It was a cold morning, the day he died. He passed peacefully with Leonardo holding one hand and Michelangelo latched onto the other. Donatello sat at the foot of his bed while Raphael stood with his arms crossed looking down at his family. Splinter, voice a whisper, had said his last words to his sons calmly.

To Raphael he asked to always protect, to never leave this family. To Donatello he had said to always invent, always seek to find new things that would make this family better. To Michelangelo he begged him to never lose himself, to always find happiness in the dreariest of places. From Leonardo he commanded nothing short of greatness in all he did weather it was leading his brothers into battle or watching over them. Then, the old rat had smiled at his teary, heartbroken sons and closed his coal black eyes taking one last breath and letting it out slowly never to open them again.

Hamato Splinter was buried under a willow tree on Casey's farm. The site was chosen because of the flowers that bloomed around it in the spring and the large willow trees that surrounded it all year round. There had been much debate about where his body should be buried before he was finally laid to rest. Raphael thought he should be laid some place in New York City where they could talk with him anytime they chose.

"That way we could see him wheneva' we want," said Raphael.

"But he always loved the farmhouse." Michelangelo had said.

"It's not safe to bury a giant mutant rat in New York City. Anyone could come along and unearth him then they'd take him away," Donatello had reasoned.

"The farmhouse is where we'll bury him," Leonardo had looked at each of his brothers while they nodded their approval in their own ways.

The funeral had been a small affair with Donatello reading a well written eulogy and Michelangelo also saying some quiet words. Leonardo, eyes cloudy and heart broken in ways he hoped to never feel again had gently held then laid his father to rest in the hole they'd dug hours before. Splinter was wrapped in his favorite blanket with his walking stick set next to him. The day wasn't bright and sunny nor dark and rainy. It was a normal day with wind blowing and sunshine washing in and out of the clouds. The willow tree above them rustled when Leonardo was helped out of the extra deep grave. They had to make it deeper than usual just in case someone started to dig around and would happen to stumble upon Splinter's body. They made the hole so deep no one could accidentally unearth him from his resting place.

Leonardo had bitten his lip then slowly removed his mask. With an _I love you father_ on his lips he let the fabric slip from his fingers and float down into the grave. By silent agreement each turtle let loose their mask and dropped it into the grave as a silent homage to their father.

Raphael had been the one to shovel dirt into the grave.

"Come on Leo even Donnie's beatin' ya!" yelled Raphael from the front bringing Leonardo from his reminiscing thoughts. Leo shook his head and laughed as he saw the crossed look on Donatello's face. Donatello pinched his face together before swooping down mid stride, grabbing a small rock then whipping around to throw it at the back of the red banded turtle's head.

"What was dat?"

"It looks like we're in the part of the sewer that's less stable and more susceptible to sudden and random effects of deterioration." Donatello called to the front keeping a straight face. A smile wrapped around Leonardo's mouth but it was Michelangelo who broke into laughter.

"That was the most confusing insult ever! Burn dude, bu-urn."

The sewer tunnel they were running made a sharp turn to the left making the turtles slide on their feet as they tried to round it cleanly. Michelangelo laughed looking back at his brothers to see if they stumbled on the turn. He was caught off guard as Donatello grabbed his shoulder then skipped and used him as leverage to gain his footing to propel himself forward. Michelangelo stumbled backwards still going too fast to stop or gain his balance.

"Keep your eyes on the prize shell for brains!" Donatello whooped pumping his arms and trying to get his breath back in order. Still stumbling, the orange banded turtle whipped his arms out trying desperately to stabilize himself without giving up his precious spot. He couldn't be it again, last time he couldn't find anyone for hours and had decided to give up and head back to the Lair only to find his brothers laughing around the kitchen table with pizza and bottles of Coke all around.

One foot, two foot, slip, slide, arms out like a pin wheel, Michelangelo was falling. He could feel his body being pulled downwards – he couldn't regain his balance. Hands that were smooth but rough in all the right places wrapped around his torso and shoulders grabbing him before he could fall then hauling him to his feet to continue running.

"Don't say I've never done anything for you," said the voice of his oldest brother in his ear behind him.

"Take to the roofs, last one out is it!" yelled Raphael from the front with a Devil-may-care smile on his face. They were so far out of the heart of the city by now that it didn't matter how loud they were in the sewers. Raphael grabbed a wrung of the ladder to the manhole cover and was up and had it out of the way in less than a second. He ascended the sewers in a flash quickly followed by Donatello. Michelangelo dipped low shouldering his way past Leonardo to get to the manhole a sliver of a second before his older brother. Leonardo, not realizing his brother was playing dirty was taken off guard and slid backwards watching as Michelangelo jimmied up and out of the sewer.

"All's fair in love and war!"

_Great_, he huffed. _I'm it_.

Leonardo growled and smiled slyly climbing quickly then flicking his wrist to cover the manhole back again. He took off launching at the fire escape and springing up the side of the building just like he'd done a thousand times and would do thousands more. The night was cool but not cold, just the way his reptilian body liked it. Moonlight shined in and out of the cloudy sky making it light enough so it wasn't hard to pick out three dark figures running away from him.

_Let the games begin._

And Leonardo took off after the slowest one.

Donatello thought he was doing well, he had a pretty good sized building between him and where he'd last seen Leonardo. Michelangelo was laughing a half a roof in front of him jumping and cracking jokes trying to toy with the blue turtle so the smart turtle thought that he was good. Everyone knew Leonardo had a level head but what Donatello had learned through the years was that he didn't enjoy being played with, made fun of. It was a simple matter of knowing his brothers. Michelangelo would whoop and holler and annoy the blue turtle and so Leonardo would bypass the slower turtle and go for the annoying one. Simple.

Or... at least he thought it was simple enough until a hand came down hard on his shoulder and a leg rounded under him forcing his own feet out from under him. He was down for the count losing his breath and slamming down on the roof at the same time. Panting, Leonardo stood over Donatello smiling a cheeky grin.

Donatello groaned, "I figured you would go for Mikey."

Leonardo bent down with his hand held out to help his brother off the rooftop like the honorable warrior their father had taught them to be. "I'm full of surprises."

Then Leonardo gave his brother a quick but hard pat on the shoulder. "By the way bro," he took a couple steps back. "You're it!" And he was off at a sprint gaining speed to jump to the next building. Donatello signed only once then shot off like a rocket. Whipping his staff out to help catapult himself to the next building he crammed it a crevice, jumped, tugged and landed on the next building after flipping over backwards.

It only took a few minutes to catch up to Michelangelo who now was smartly keeping his mouth shut and head semi down. The orange turtle ran at a slower pace down the street a ways from Leonardo and Raphael thinking that if he was so out of the way that he wouldn't be chased.

He was all alone, right for the taking.

Michelangelo kept chancing glances behind him over his right shoulder – never to the left, Donatello noticed. Utilizing this information the purple turtle ducked and jumped catapulting himself over and around intent on doubling back to get in front of his jogging brother. It took a few extra minutes and some rough running and haymaker jumping but finally he was in front of the youngest brother. He waited until Michelangelo had his head turned before he jumped him, full force with a yell. The orange turtle's eyes grew comically wide as he saw Donatello coming down upon him. He squeaked in fear falling on his shell and skidding backwards a few feet with Donatello on top of him. It was violent and it hurt.

"Dude, really? Why do you turn so violent during tag?" He asked in utter disbelief. He could have sworn he was alone, running well away from the other two. Donatello hardly ever went after him anyways. "I thought you were a pacifist."

"You're it, Turtle Titan," Donatello laughed hauling himself to his feet and talking off again into the night happy for himself that he'd managed to successfully sass not one but two brothers and the night was still young.

Michelangelo took a second to catch his breath. A cold breeze blew past making his sweaty body shiver. "I'm too pretty for all this running."

He jumped to his feet and was off to take down a brother.

"What's that?" Raphael said suddenly beside Leonardo. They were closer to the Lair than when they'd started but still had a pretty far ways to go. Leonardo looked up to see what his brother was looking towards and stopped mid stride. His rough and weathered feet slid on the rooftop. Raphael stumbled to a stop beside him pin-wheeling his arms out before having to grab at the building to stop from falling over. Both turtles gazed over at what looked to be an orange glow on the horizon. It was a hand full of blocks away and it was almost too bright to look at.

"Fire," Leonardo's eyes narrowed. All playfulness being shoved aside as the leader inside took hold. Raphael walked to the edge of the building looking over and up at the structure that was bright orange and red against the black night sky.

"Let's check it out."

"Wait Raph I don't think that's a good -" but the red turtle was already off running towards the danger like he was bred for it. Leonardo shook his head in anger. "Or why don't we just run as fast as we can towards the fire."

With that he started to run after his hotheaded brother grumbling to himself. "I'm pretty sure being a leader is just a title. If I was a captain this would be considered mutiny."

Donatello saw two figures that he recognized as his brothers change direction in their run in front of him. They started to run sharply towards the right, away from the path that led to the Lair. Looking over, Donatello gasped in shock. Something, something _big_, was on fire. And his brothers were running towards it. Great.

Raphael stopped short a few roofs away, he couldn't look away. It was bright and hot even from how far back he and Leonardo were.

The building was on fire. It was on _fire_. Engulfed in flames that licked and prodded at the establishments beside it and flung its hot arms up in the air. It would've been fine. It was just an apartment fire, they happened all the time. The problem was the terrified screams that cut through the flames from the inside.

"There's people in there!" Raphael gasped and whipped around to look at his leader with one foot already on the side of the building, he was ready to jump.

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**I am planning on this being many chapters, but they won't be super long chappies like I usually do. It gets hard to write 5-7 thousand word updates all the time, ya know? I'm saying this now realizing that I'll probably still write long chapters anyways :) **

**If you're interested I have gained a tumblr at the suggestion of the great Andrea O'Down, there is a link in my bio that I hope works if you are interested.**


	2. Chapter 2: Into the Inferno

**Second chapter and going strong!**

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**Chapter 2: Into the Inferno**

The building was on fire. It was on _fire_. Engulfed in flames that licked and prodded at the establishments beside it then flung its hot arms up in the air roaring and spewing. It would've been fine – It was just an apartment fire, they happened all the time. The problem was the terrified screams that cut through the flames from the inside.

"There's people in there!" Raphael gasped and whipped around to look at his leader with one foot already on the side of the building, ready to jump.

Leonardo shook his head looking torn. Behind him, Donatello jumped down and landed in a crouch before standing back up. Michelangelo appeared from the shadows a little further back. His eyes were big and blue reflecting the bright flames.

"We can't go in there, it's not safe." Leonardo had his hands bunched fists so hard his knuckles showed an off green, almost yellow color that on a normal person would have been a white knuckled grip.

Raphael growled, "Leo, there are people in tha' building."

Leonardo shouldered his way past his brother to look over the edge to where the front door to the building was. He cursed loudly brining the attention of Michelangelo and Donatello over beside him. They too gasped and cursed.

"Shell," Michelangelo looked at the entrance – or what was left of it. Fire. Bright and orange and thick burned over the entrance. It took up the entire front of the building in a wall of unforgiving flames. Black smoke billowed out thickly into the clear night sky. No one could get through that wall of fire, there was go getting out the front entrance. From deep inside the building screams broke through again. There were only a few people in the street looking up at the burning structure. Most of them were wearing night clothes and robes. Some were covered in black soot and crying.

"I know," Leonardo tried to reason. "But the firefighters will -"

A shriek shredded the night air cutting through the sound of fire crackling and burning. Michelangelo looked from Leonardo to Raphael hopping up and down with his nun chucks in either hand waiting to see what would happen. Leonardo scanned the building rapidly, eyes moving quickly and mind whirling even faster trying to weigh the options. He needed to see every available possibility. The side of the building that was spitting fire out to the street caved slightly as something hard fell through the floor shaking the entire structure. More fire burst through the windows and door of the first story. Another bloody scream broke from someplace higher up in the building making Leonardo fist his hands with bone crushing tightness.

"Leo." Michelangelo begged. In that moment Leonardo made his choice. He hated to do it but he couldn't let those people suffer, he couldn't listen to their screams anymore.

"Right," he called the attention of his brothers. "We can't all go in there -"

"Leo!" warned Raphael.

"No! I'm not risking everyone's life," he yelled back to be heard over the burning fire he was faced away from. He could feel the heat on the back of his head and shell. It was uncomfortable.

"Listen to me." He pleaded. Raphael crossed his arms but nodded. It was a testament to how well all four brothers had grown and matured since Splinter died that none of them just rushed in, Raphael especially. He waited to see what his leader would decide.

Leonardo spoke fast in a commanding voice that the brothers were used to in battle. "Don, I need you to use the ShellCell to call the police, I still don't hear sirens. Raph, there should be a back door on the other side of the building but I don't see anyone coming out of it. If the front of the building is engulfed then everyone trapped should go to the back, you need to see if the door is blocked and if it is make a way for them to get out. Mikey you're on me. You're quick and we gotta go in and be fast. Don, you're also on lookout for Raph for anyone snooping around back there unless they're people trying to get out. We have to at least attempt to stay in the shadows. Everyone know what do to?"

Three turtles nodded with grim faces. Donatello already had his cell in hand.

Just then the side of the building farthest from the turtles blew in a geyser of smoke and ash and debris. None of the turtles flinched but the people in the street screamed.

"Then let's move! Let's go!" Leonardo ordered.

Donatello's voice was background noise as Raphael quickly ascending the building and ran towards the back to help find a way to get the people trapped inside out. Michelangelo and Leonardo took a running start to jump on the roof of the building that was on fire.

"9-1-1? I'd like to report a fire..."

There was at least a ton of wood and debris blocking it but, thank every God anyone had ever prayed to, there was door. And people were pounding on it from the inside. Raphael tore through the bricks and wood that lay between him and the door. He was strong and the sound of begging voices from the other side lit the fire inside of him. He grabbed and threw and spit and chucked trying to get to the door to get the frantic people out. Raphael put his hand up to push away a piece of splintered wood when something hot scorched his hand. He hissed and jerked away grabbing at his wrist. His hand was smoking. The wood and bricks that fell from the building were as hot as the fire still burning inside. Raphael took a deep breath trying to will away the stinging in his hands. It was then he noticed how hot he was. He was surprised when he wiped his brow to find no sweat slicking his skin. The fire was so close and hot making the sweat on his brow disintegrate before it could run down his face. But he couldn't stop. He could see the door, it was so close. He needed to unblock it and get those people out.

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The floor was hot, really _really_ hot. Leonardo could feel it burning the bottoms of his feet as he scanned the room Michelangelo and him and bounded into.

"No one in this one," he said before jogging off into the hallway to go into another apartment. They were on the fifth story, they had a lot more burning floors to travel.

It wasn't until they had cleared the fifth story and had kicked in the door to the first apartment on the fourth floor that they heard one of the screaming voices.

"Help! He-elp... Anyone!"

The brothers rushed to the voice through the smoke in the hallway. Michelangelo practically ran over a woman who was on the ground, a burn on the side of her face and in tears. Her arm was bent at such an angle that made Leonardo sick to his stomach. He bent down when he realized she had stopped moving to feel for a pulse.

"Just unconscience, Mike," he reassured his brother who couldn't help bouncing from foot to foot as the bottoms were burned. Leonardo figured the woman had been trampled when the fire had started by people from both the fifth and fourth floor trying desperately to get out.

"Mikey, take her and..." He trailed off looking around a second before deciding to kick down the closed door to the right of the woman. The door broke open in splinters to revel an apartment not on fire. He pointed to the window. "Take her down to the street carefully then come back up here. I'll start clearing this floor."

"Right." He answered. No questions asked. He bent down to pick up the woman who was silent, her eyes were closed clearly passed out. Then Michelangelo was gone and Leonardo was down the significantly more smoky hall than the floor above looking for more people.

"Hello? Is there anyone here?" He yelled down the hall and into each apartment he went into.

He found more people. Near the stares was a group pounding on an apartment door. The door was warped on its hinges making it so it was jammed in its frame. He yelled for the people begging for help on the inside to back away from the door then bent down and put his shoulder into it. Running into the door hurt his shoulder but he paid it no mind compartmentalizing his pain to deal with later. Leonardo was careful however, to be backed up and surrounded by smoke before the people could come out and see his green body and shell.

"Go down the hall, keep your heads down. There's an exit in the back of the building," Leonardo ordered knowing Raphael had managed to get a way for the ones downstairs to escape. He didn't need any evidence; he knew his brother would have found a way.

The people choking on smoke ran past his hidden place. There was mother who held her child close against her body and a father with two crying children in his arms. One of the children looked up as they ran down the hall. Leonardo stepped out from the smoky corner he had hid in not being able to hold his breath any longer. The child's eyes grew wide but he put up a small hand to wave at the turtle before disappearing around the corner. Leonardo stood still for only a second longer before deciding he had given them enough time and was off down the same hallway kicking in doors and listening for pleas of help. By the time Leonardo kicked down almost every door on the floor he had to stop. It was hard to breath. All around him was smoke but so far no fire, and that's what scared him. His chest rattled as he coughed hard. He pounded on his chest trying to force air down.

Something rumbled, the building shuttered violently.

Falling. He was falling. Instinct kicked in before Leonardo's head could connect with the side of the wall, he kicked off trying to fall the other way. The building felt like it was moving. Leonardo slammed into something hard knocking the breath out of him. Dazed and confused the blue turtle lay on the ground looking around at the foggy room he was in. Absently he felt his shoulder ache and his head pound in tune to his heart. He tried to make sense of what had happened. The building had shaken knocking him off his feet and into the wall. Was it an explosion? And where was Michelangelo, he should have been back already.

_I can't stay here_, Leonardo ordered his hot body to do his bidding. As slowly as he could afford he got to his unsteady feet.

"I got her out bro, she'll be fine." Michelangelo suddenly appeared in his dazed line of vision. His brother looked at him with concern. "You good Leo?"

"Fine," he answered automatically. "Come on, we have more floors to cover."

Opening the third floor door was a shock; there was actual fire burning parts of the walls and spitting out from various doors that had been hastily left open from people trying to get out.

"Please, please! Someone, anyone help me. Please!" A horse voice of a woman grabbed Michelangelo's attention when they were half way down the third floor. The woman was trapped under what looked to be the remains of a book shelf. She coughed a few times before yelling again desperately, brokenly. There was fire on the walls and around the apartment but it was sporadic and not a wall of impassable flame. Probably the shelf had come down when the building had shook and buckled.

"I got her dude, you can go down the hall and see if there's anyone else on this floor."

"No," Leonardo said sternly running over to his brother to help the now silent woman. He coughed a few times feeling hot smoke enter his lungs. "We stick together now, no questions."

Together they threw the large shelf away and helped the silent woman up. She looked at the two turtles with big glassy eyes and a shoot covered face. "You-you-"

"It's all a dream," Michelangelo smiled at her. "You're dreaming. We're your guardian angels," he cooed helping her get to the window to go down the fire escape.

Leonardo kicked at the window which shattered completely and led the woman through. "Now go!" He commanded. She nodded and started to make her way shakily down the stairs mumbling to herself, "My guardian angels are turtles..."

The two brothers nodded at each other then took off to find more people. They followed the sounds of pleas and cries until they found men and woman and children. Some were trapped others were just too scared to move.

Michelangelo tripped when they were clearing an apartment that Leonardo swore he heard someone cry in. Leonardo lunged out to grab him but he was already down, hissing as his skin touched the way too hot floor. Fire licked up the walls and smoke choked the air. It was getting harder to breathe as Leonardo swooped down to haul his little brother to his feet. He stopped suddenly as he saw movement. There was something inside the closet across the room. Grunting Leonardo helped Michelangelo up. The young turtle swayed on his feet and coughed as smoke assaulted his eyes and mouth. His bare feet moved up and down quickly, they were burning. The blue banded turtle ran to the closet and threw open the doors trying to see what had moved. He was looking around when the sound of wood splitting cut through the air. The fire that was running up the wall had finally reached the ceiling. The floor above them shuttered once. An eerie silence settled upon the two as they gazed at the ceiling. It cracked again making Michelangelo grab at his older brother.

"It's gonna come down!" He screamed grabbing his brother and pulling with all of his power to get him out of the way.

"No!" Leonardo yelled back. "There's someone in the closet!"

Michelangelo kept pulling his older brother feeling the heat of the flames around him burn his skin. Leonardo fought back trying to get to the thing he'd seen. He knew he saw something, _someone_.

"We can't," Michelangelo coughed into his hand still tugging. "We gotta go!"

That's when the ceiling came down in a burning inferno of wood and splinters and fire. Michelangelo had just cleared the room but Leonardo wasn't so lucky. He tried to jump towards his little brother but was stopped as a part of the ceiling came down across his shell and over his legs.

"Leo!"

"Mikey!" Leonardo did his best to ignore the burning in his legs and the way his shell felt like it was literally on fire. He felt like he was being stabbed in the back by a burning blade. Tears came to his eyes involuntarily but he didn't try to fight them. His shell had always protected his back, he'd never felt so much pain burn through him. He sucked in a breath and immediately regretted it as smoke assaulted him. Coughing. So much coughing. He couldn't catch his breath.

Michelangelo dropped to his knees hissing as the ground burned his skin. He yelled and grunted trying to free his brother from the burning wreckage. His heart pounding fast, legs and back burning Leonardo let out a small whine as Michelangelo moved a part of the ceiling that trapped him.

The smoke was starting to take hold of Michelangelo's throat, it hurt to move and hurt even more to breath. The ceiling in the hallway cracked a ways down threateningly. Leonardo pawed at the ground trying to find purchase to help get himself up, to help pull himself out of the burning room.

Fire. Everything was on fire. The curtains, the trash cans, the carpet, the walls. Everything. He couldn't breathe. He could hardly see. But he would get his brother out of this even if it killed him. Michelangelo screamed again and heaved using all his might to get the dry wall off of his big brother.

Sweat was nonexistent. It was almost too hot for it. Any energy that his adrenalin could give him was being sucked away by the heat and flames. Leonardo figured to himself absently that this was what Hell felt like as he lay on the burning floor in this inferno.

"Mikey," he said just loud enough to be heard. "You... You need to get out of... here. I'm not gonna let you... You need to-"

"Don't you dare ask me to leave you behind," Michelangelo got close to his older brother's hot, burnt face. "You'd _never_ do the same for me." Then he started on the burning rubble covering his brother. Leonardo nodded putting his head on the ground trying to breathe.

"Come on! Work with me!" Michelangelo screamed as hard as he could while moving the last of the rubble away from his brother. Leonardo felt a weight being lifted from his back and tried to sigh in relief but stopped as smoke filled his lungs.

"See? Piece of cake." Michelangelo lifted his brother and threw his arm over his shoulder to help him stand. Leonardo's head spun but he could walk and that was all that mattered as the building shook and groaned like the inside of a monster. Leonardo stood straight ignoring the pain in his legs and shell. He let go of Michelangelo's shoulder against the younger one's ire and looked around trying to figure out where they were. One thing was for certain though and it was that they had been inside the burning building for too long. Down the hallway where the stairs should be was blocked off by a burning piece of wood. Smoke billowed out from the steps seeping into the already burning hallway. Leonardo put his hand over his mouth to try to filter some air. He took two breaths before he grabbed for Michelangelo's bandana. The younger turtle jumped in surprise but stayed still as Leonardo unfastened it and balled it up in his fist before putting it against his younger brother's mouth.

"Try to breathe through that," he ordered. Michelangelo nodded and Leonardo did the same to his mask putting it over his mouth.

"Leo we have to get out of here," Michelangelo's voice was muffled under the mask but Leonardo heard him loud and clear. He coughed a few times into the mask and looked down the hallway again.

"There's still two more floors," the leader in him knew that he needed to get himself and his brothers out of the area. There would be police and firefighters and other people around soon. But his conscience pleaded with him telling him there were more people in the building. Others who were still trapped. But the need to help his family, to make sure they were safe won out over the leader inside. The orange turtle waited for Leonardo to make a decision.

"Let's go. Now." Michelangelo nodded and both turtles took off as fast as the hot, cramped space would allow. Michelangelo was first getting to the outside the building. He swung himself out and waited for his brother.

* * *

Donatello looked up from patching Raphael's swollen, angry red tinted hands. The bandages he wrapped around the red turtle's hands would have to do until they got back to the Lair. He hadn't been planning on this being a rescue mission so he didn't have any of his usual medical supplies. He had thought it was just going to be a run over the roofs and a particularly intense game of ninja tag so he'd packed light in order to ensure that he could run fast, move swiftly and silently.

Looking over to where he could have sworn he heard Michelangelo's voice, Donatello kept his eyes open trying to see around. Raphael also looked up for a moment before jumping to his feet and rushing towards his brothers. Michelangelo and Leonardo seemed to be holding each other up by will power alone. Both were covered in black ash and both were sweating, their skin hot. Raphael noticed that both were mask-less and obviously burned. Donatello ran towards them a second after they appeared on the rooftop only a moment after Raphael had. Gently the smart turtle took a clearly burnt Leonardo out of a clearly less burnt but exhausted Michelangelo's grip and lowered the pliant turtle to the ground. Raphael helped the youngest turtle sit as well trying to use the sides and backs of his hands. Both the orange and blue turtles were breathing hard and coughing up their lungs with wet and dry gasps that sounded awful in all of their ears.

"I have oxygen tanks back at the Lair," said Donatello.

Michelangelo turned his head and leaned away from his family. He made a retching sound as he threw up all he had eaten. Bile burned its way all the way from his stomach and out his mouth making tear tracks appear in the soot on his face. The red turtle gently rubbed his shell as he threw up all over the rooftop.

"Did you..." Leonardo tried to speak but couldn't get words out of his dry mouth. It hurt but he had to ask, he had to know. "Did you get... open door to get-get people out?" He croaked.

Raphael looked over at his older brother who was currently under Donatello's watchful eyes. The smart turtle was prodding at his legs but stopped as Leonardo hissed and cursed violently. Blood seeped sluggishly from a large gash on the back of his muscular calf, he'd have to ask Leonardo about that later. For right now all he could do was a quick field dress and hope it wasn't infected and wouldn't get infected on the run back to through the sewers.

"I got the door open," Raphael nodded. "I counted about thirty to forty people got out down there."

Leonardo moved his head up and down, his eyes smarted as he looked up at the sky in a calculated gaze. Raphael knew his brother was counting, trying to figure out how many him and Michelangelo had managed to get out added to the people already in the street when they arrived. He nodded once then mouthed _good_ without actually speaking. Donatello ran his fingers lightly around the back of Leonardo's legs trying to feel if they were broken. One leg had a bump that protruded strangely from his the rest of his leg and by the way Leonardo held it stiffly he figured it was either broken or just swollen from the burns. Donatello clicked his tongue not for the first time in anger at his own stupidity. He didn't know much about burns, he'd never really had to. He knew the basics, sure. The basics being small finger burns from touching the stove or arm burns from practicing too close to a candle – that was one incident Leonardo wished to never speak of again. He even knew how to treat burns from straightening irons from when April had stayed in the Lair and dropped her iron while doing her hair. She'd tried to catch it mid fall but managed to grab the hot end and burnt her hand. But this, this was so much more than he'd ever seen.

Donatello was not a stupid turtle. He was smart not because he had to be but because he wanted to be. He wasn't the bronze or the brave – though he did have his moments of outstanding bravery in the face of danger and he was no wimp when it came to fighting. It was simply that he preferred the technology, the innovation. The way that everything had a way. Nothing was left to chance when he could decode the situation. It was the same with his self-proclaimed title of the family medic. Medicine was just science and math. The way everything had a way - different diseases had different antidotes and cures. Do one thing another happened, have one thing give them something and you get an end result.

But, this was different. His family, his brothers were covered in burns. Actual honest-to-God if-they-were-human-they'd-be-in-a-hospital _burns_. Donatello didn't know what to do.

_Do what you can for now and figure it all out later_, the logic inside of him dictated.

"Okay Leo, here's what we're going to do. I'm going to gently pick you up and roll you to the side because I need to see the other side of your legs."

"His shell is cracked," Michelangelo sat with his head between his knees, his voice a hoarse croak. Raphael looked over at Donatello who now had a pinched and concentrated expression on his face.

"Leo, I have to roll you over."

"It's fine," Leonardo said breathlessly looking up at the smoky sky. "We need to get out of here." The sirens that had been constant background noise now seemed to fill his senses in warning. There were people all around who could see them if they looked up at the building at just the right angle. There were too many people too close and they were too exhausted to fight back or run away very fast if someone saw them.

Leonardo tried to struggle to his feet. "Raph help Mike. Don you're... you're gonna hav' ta help m-me," his words slurred together as Donatello helped him to his feet. It was hard to breathe even though he wasn't inside the burning building anymore. Michelangelo looked up, his face was pale under the black soot. His lips were dry. His chest rumbled when he coughed. If this were any other time he'd make some joke about how badass they were jumping into fires and saving people like Spiderman or the Silver Sentry, but he felt too sick - like he was about to throw up again. He looked around at the too bright fire that now engulfed and entrapped the entire building then at the Fire Engines flashing their lights on the other side of the inferno. He could hear people down on the streets talking and yelling and crying. He could imagine they were the people that he and Leonardo had managed to save down there, eyes still wide with confusion and shock that somehow they had been saved by giant green turtles. Michelangelo was scared, those people could easily blab to anyone about them and that's it. Secrets out. Into the lab they go.

"I agree we hav'ta go," he mumbled in exhaustion. Raphael nodded and used his bandaged hands to pick up his little brother and put his arm around him. Donatello gently brought Leonardo to his feet, secured his arm around his shoulders, and then took a few tentative steps to test out their positions. When Leonardo said and did nothing he figured that this would work. Donatello looked over at the red and orange turtles.

"We can't run or jump with you three in bad shape so let's go down this street using these rooftops and take a left, there's a manhole there in the ally that connects with our sewer. It's more walking but the pros outweigh the cons in this situation, I think."

Raphael nodded trying to ignore the way his hands felt like they were still sizzling every time they touched his younger brother's skin. Michelangelo put a tentative thumbs up while Leonardo stayed quiet at his side.

"Lead the way, Brainiac."Raphael motioned in front of him.

"Don't worry Leo it'll all be better once we get back home."

"I'm fine, just a little burnt," Leonardo muttered. Donatello hummed back at him.

"Mikey if you feel like you're going to throw up again tell Raph first and... Try not to throw up on my shell, I just waxed it," Donatello whispered to his brother then looked back at Michelangelo who would have swayed on his feet if Raphael hadn't wrapped himself around him in order to ensure that the orange turtle didn't fall. Michelangelo puffed out a few breaths keeping his eyes closed to stop the vertigo that bathed his senses.

"Dude," he rasped. "Only girl turtles wax their shells."

"Shut up Mikey," Raphael smirked starting to put one foot in front of the other.

It was dark on the rooftop when the turtles descended tentatively and slowly being mindful of each others injuries. Firefighters were perched on high ladders that connected themselves to the engines fighting the blaze as they left the burning building behind them. It was easy to miss, with all of the noise and chaotic flashes of light around them, the shadows that lingered and morphed as they walked. The shadows moved in unnatural ways, molding to that which had no shadow at night. All four exhausted teenagers went home unaware of the things that lingered just behind them, nipping at their heels.

"Can you see me?" The shadows whispered before the manhole cover was slid back into place and a defending silence covered New York City.

* * *

**Updates will be sporadic as I am moving into my dorm room this week but as I have said before I never give up on a story so don't worry!**


	3. Chapter 3: Burning Souls

**As someone who wants to become a writer I feel like my worst fear would be my computer crashing... Guess what happened? Yep, crashed. And now it's currently deep in the underground workings known as the tech department where computers and hard drives go to be put to rest. A moment of silence for my downed laptop... **

**...**

**OKAY! On with it!**

* * *

** Chapter 3: Burning Souls**

The sewers were silent save for leaks that dripped and water that surged through the city that never sleeps. Down in the tunnels where usually the sounds of running feet and talking voices would be heard, was nothing. No sounds to echo, no feet to splash the water, no brothers to scare away the rodents feasting on whatever they could find in the murky water and at the edges of every tunnel. It was calm, silent in ways it should never be.

Michelangelo was sitting on the couch propped up on both sides with pillows and covered in a salve Donatello had made. The worst of his burns were on the bottoms of his feet. He hadn't dared to look at the pads of his feet, too scared to see the damage even though Donatello had assured it wasn't as bad as it could have been. They both pulsed in tune to his heartbeat and stung horribly. In fact, his entire body hurt and stung like thousands of bees had attacked and left him for dead. He felt hot, grouchy, sour, too warm for his skin. Parts of his green skin felt like they were flaking off in patches but Donatello had assured him that it wasn't so. He'd said that with the salve it should plaster the skin down, hold its shape to his real skin so it wouldn't scar too horribly. If Michelangelo was feeling anything like himself he would have cracked a joke about how "chicks dig the scars, man" but he was too tired, too burnt out, it took too much energy to talk.

Across the Lair the front door was opened loudly - which was the only way to open it. Master Splinter had ordered Donatello make it so after Raphael had snuck out for the tenth time back when they were pre-teens and Raphael still wanted to go out exploring by himself.

Raphael threw his trench coat down beside the coat rack, toed off his sneakers, untied the sweatpants and took the hem of his sweatshirt to pull over his head. Normally it was a family rule to place all Topside gear neatly on the rack or in the chest beside it, but today Raphael didn't care. His hands hurt, his chest hurt. Fuck all if he didn't still smell of smoke and fire and his flesh didn't reek. He'd only managed a quick shower before running out to grab more supplies for Donatello who had run out after fixing up Michelangelo.

Still holding three large bags on one arm, Raphael made his way at a brisk pace over to Donatello's lab. He walked in to the same sight as when he'd left; Leonardo laid on the makeshift cot covered with wet bandages on his plastron and Donatello, eyes creased and bent over his computer. Leonardo's shell glistened where Donatello had obviously applied the special glue to help his shell knit back together.

Raphael shoved the bags at his smart brother, "Here."

"Did you steal it?" The not-quite firm and breathy voice of his eldest brother asked from the cot. He looked awful covered in bandages with his skin missing in places and clearly burnt in others. Donatello had said second degree burns on the backs of his legs and arms with definite third degree burns on the bottoms of his feet. His shell was cracked in several places and he was missing a small piece near the bottom. It wasn't noticeable, that was what Michelangelo had assured in a surprisingly calm voice when they'd been helped back to the Lair. Michelangelo had kissed his older brother's forehead and promised it wasn't easy to see. That was the fear as turtles - loosing a part of their shell. They weren't actual turtles so the shells were less of a home but all the same they were a part of who they were and to loose that part would be horrible, terrible. It was all of their biggest fear right after loosing a brother.

It scared Raphael to see his brother so clearly in pain with his body burned so horribly in some places that it made Raphael cringe at the sight. He was scared for his brother and fright made him angry. Angry with himself for showing such a rudimentary weakness. Angry that they'd been put into a situation like that at all. Angry that the firefighters had taken their sweet ol' time to get there. Just so fucking angry!

"It don't matter," he snapped. In truth, it didn't really matter if he'd stolen the supplies. They'd saved people tonight. People who would just as quickly run to the news with stories about masked turtles saving them from burning buildings. What was some stolen burn ointment and medicine for their troubles?"

"Raph," Leonardo sighed shakily. He thought they were over this, over having to explain to his hotheaded brother that stealing was wrong and it didn't matter if they needed it they weren't above anybody else. Leonardo cleared his throat, swallowed thickly and said, "We can't steal, it's not right. We scavenge, we search, but we don't steal."

Donatello put his hand out without looking away from what he was doing silently asking for the supplies to get started on the worst of Leonardo's burns. Raphael handed him two of the three bags then walked across the room towards the refrigerator Donatello kept for his experiments that were temperature sensitive. He carefully deposited the warm ice packs into the freezer to freeze. He grunted at his brother in annoyance, a hard line across his mouth. Leonardo groaned inwardly putting one arm down on the bedding to help hoist himself into a sitting position. He wasn't about to have this conversation laying down.

"I gave you my... money. To buy medicine."

"Yeah Leo, I know. The money you made carving those stupid trinkets to sell in April's store." He put away the last of the ice packs then crunched the bag with his foot and kicked it up into the trash can. He turned back to Leonardo when he heard a sharp hiss and groan. Donatello had stood and forced their older brother back onto his plastron not wanting to upset his fragile shell or the delicate wet towels and bandages that were covering his body.

"They're not stupid," Leonardo huffed, a little bit of his teenaged self seeping through after he settled back down on the bed trying not to groan as the bedding touching his burned body. Raphael knew that Leonardo worked hard carving bits of wood into creatures and small life-like animals. At first he'd hidden his talent of carving almost anything with such intricate precision and design. He'd learned it in the jungles of Central America during his pilgrimage a few years ago. April had stumbled upon his stash of hidden trinkets by accident. It took a while but after figuring out that with the money he made off of the wooden pieces they wouldn't have to steal, Leonardo had finally let April sell them in her store.

"I gave you money," he said in a stronger voice, eyes pulled into an angry grimace.

Raphael came to stand in front of Leonardo and gruffly folded his arms. "Well for your information I didn't fucking-"

"_Language_ Raphael."

Raphael fought hard to keep his voice even, to keep his anger at bay. He was tired, his body felt raw and his insides felt like fire had slid down his throat. But he tried desperately to keep his anger squelched.

"Whateva, I didn't steal it," he said finally, he scratched at his nose and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand then crossed them again. "I payed for it with actual money. I went in to the damn store and the guy stared at me 'cause I look like a freaking giant turtle even wit' all da shit on.

Leonardo opened his mouth to snap back but stopped as he shivered violently, his eyes closing and teeth clicking together rapidly. His shoulders went rigid and eyes creased in pain. He groaned brokenly with his mouth falling open inadvertently. His entire body was stiff and tense making him whimper. Donatello whipped around from where he was mixing his concoction of creams and salves to put on Leonardo's burns. He looked Leonardo up and down then stepped over to him quickly with his hands out to help lower him back to the bed. He gently ran his hands up and down his shell and the creases of his neck that weren't burned whispering nothings into his ear softly trying to get Leonardo to untense his body. He needed to stay calm. Raphael untangled his arms and jumped forward "Leo - I-"

"Shh Leo, it's okay. I know it hurts," Donatello brought out his soothing voice, the one he used when speaking to children or frightened people that caught glimpses of them topside. Without looking away Donatello reached over, grabbed a syringe from the metal plate next to the cot and flicked it once with his other hand. Leonardo whimpered again like a hurt animal then tensed further. The sides of his eyes were creased greenish-white in pain. It took all of Raphael's will power not to jut his arms out to his older brother and told him tightly to his plastron like he used to do when they were kids, to protect him, to make the pain go away. The anger that once sloshed through his veins was decimated in a flash, concern took it's place in the pit of his stomach.

"Little sting, that's it. It'll all be better in a second," Donatello said softly right beside Leonardo as he inserted the syringe full of clear liquid into the blue turtles arm. The liquid disappeared and with it so did the tension in Leonardo's body. He sagged down to the cot with one last groan before the whitened sides of his eyes smoothed out and he fell into unconsciousness.

Donatello sighed leaning against his lab desk after throwing away the used syringe. He wiped his forehead, bit his lip then turned to grab the salve he'd already made. He took two handfuls of the cream and rubbed his hands together.

"Raph, I think you should leave." He commentated over his shoulder starting to remove the bandages on Leonardo's feet and legs to begin covering them with the cream.

"I can help you in-"

"Go sit with Mikey, I can handle this," Donatello didn't take his eyes off of the slumbering brother but the tone in his voice begged for no argument. Raphael nodded and left the room without another word.

The Lair smelled distinctly of smoke when Raphael entered into the main living room where Michelangelo was laid on the couch under a blanket, hands and feet covered snuggly with bandages to prevent infection. The orange turtle looked comfortable and Raphael debated about waking him up and helping him get to his room or just leaving him there but then Michelangelo shifted, his head moved to the side and he mumbled.

_Nightmare_. Raphael knew the signs, could see them starting.

Taking a deep breath and taking inventory of his own body, Raphael made the executive decision that he didn't have to strength or the patience to lug his brother up the stairs to his room. Grabbing another blanket, Raphael carefully moved his brother aside and slid in next to him being mindful of both of their bumps and bruises and burns. He settled down, shifted and jerked until he was comfortable then he lowered his brother back over so his head was laid on his shoulder. Then Raphael closed his heavy, gritty eyes more than ready for a good nights sleep.

"Your shoulder isn't the most comfortable place in the world," Michelangelo mumbled near his ear.

"Sleep shell-for-brains," Raphael grouched back with his eyes still closed. His hands were started to go numb now that he wasn't constantly moving or using them. They still hurt like hell but the pain was lessened.

"How are you feeling?" Michelangelo asked lightly.

Raphael let out a breath, "I'm golden"

They were both silent for a few minutes and Raphael dared to hope his brother had fallen asleep. But then Michelangelo smirked with his eyes closed, "Well actually you're green."

"Mikey!"

"Goodnight PonyBoy."

* * *

It was hours later that a chill seeped through the lair chilling it down to unnatural temperatures. Shadows moved and air swished colliding with each other and repelling at the same time.

Someone screamed. It was bloody and broken and horrible. Leonardo jerked away immediately on alert and ready to fight. His body hurt, he was sore, grit scratched his eyes and his feet felt like a blister had grown over the bottoms of both but the leader was ready to defend his brothers lives. He was ready to kick the ass of whoever had broken into their home. But it was silent. Donatello slept with his neck crooked at an uncomfortable angle at his desk, droll dripped from the side of his mouth while he snored softly. The lights were dimmed in his lab and the outside in the living area was dark. He could hear his other brothers light snores clearly in the quietness along with the sounds of rushing water over his head and the drops from a leaky pipe somewhere out in the distance.

Everything seemed fine, all was just as it should be but... Something was off. A bad feeling rooted itself in the pit of Leonardo's stomach uncomfortably. His eyes whipped around trying to take everything in, to find what wasn't right. He looked around Donatello's lab still flat on his plastron. The computer blinked a red and blue light every two seconds along with one of his many gadgets that pulsed green every five seconds lighting up the room. It was so quiet with only the sounds of distant water and breathing.

Leonardo held his breath listening. Something creaked inside the lab causing him to jerk violently. He cried out as he shoulder stretched tugging at his burned flesh. Stars danced in his eyes while he fought tears from sliding down his face. Pain, it was almost like he was stuck under that ceiling again being burned. It hurt, it licked and prodded now not only from his shoulder but his shell. His cracked shell. Leonardo cried silently.

"Can you hear me?" A voice asked. He tried to focus on the voice, it sounded small - like a child, a little girl. Was there a girl in here, in the lab? Was that who screamed?

Leonardo forced his eyes to open, to look around the room to see who had spoken but he saw no one. Just darkness and shadows and the blinking lights of Donatello's computer.

"I'm looking for my dad. Have you seen him?"

Again the voice whispered, louder this time. A flash of green lit up the corner of the room only for a second catching Leonardo's eye. A blue light flashed, then red. That's when he saw her. Only for a second there was someone, someone small with short hair standing in the corner. Then the light went away and it was dark but Leonardo had seen it, the person. Someone was in the Lair... There was a human in the Lair! His sluggish brain put the pieces together slower than his body. He was already half up on his knees by the time his mouth could jumble out coherent words. "Wha-who... How-how did you get in..."

"Have you seen..." The voice was just a whisper in his ear, barely there. A green light flashed fast lighting up the corner. The person - the girl he could see her clearer now. She was small, hair a mess and wearing a long nightgown. Her face was dark though, covered in something black with glazed over eyes and a mouth half open. "... my dad."

The girl put her dark hand out, her eyes big and cloudy and took a step forward closer to Leonardo before the green light cut out again.

Leonardo screamed moving as fast as he could, his body spazzing. "Stay back!"

"Leo?" Someone asked from his side but Leonardo kept his wide eyes staring at the darkened corner.

"Stay back!" He yelled again grabbing for the swords that weren't on his back.

Suddenly the lights flickered on. Leonardo had to shield his eyes from the assault. He kept his hands over his eyes, heart racing and breath too fast as someone talked in his ear grabbing for his hands.

"What's wrong? What happened? Leo? Leo come on it's me, it's me, Donnie."

"Donnie?" Leonardo finally let his hand be guided away from his face and body be helped back to his throbbing plastron.

"Wha' happened!?" Raphael was suddenly at the door with Michelangelo at his side. Neither were bleary eyed even though they'd just been awoken from deep sleep.

"Someone in the Lair, heard them," his heart was racing, his chest moving fast from breathing so hard, Leonardo couldn't get his words out. Instead he pointed over to the now lightened corner. Raphael immediately went on alert, Michelangelo grabbed at the nearest thing - one of Donatello's practice Bo's - and held it close. Donatello wiped his head around looking over his lab for anything.

"Where?" Michelangelo squeaked feeling every tired muscle and sore body part. He was still too tired to fight.

"There's someone here?" Raphael tightened his hands into fists and growled.

Donatello looked at his oldest brother seeing his eyes glued to the corner and chest heaving.

"Leo, what did you hear exactly? Where did you see these people?"

Slowly Leonardo pointed at the corner. "There was someone over there. A girl. I saw her."

Raphael looked over at Donatello's worried eyes. Donatello flashed his eyes over to Leonardo categorizing him. Raphael walked slowly over to the empty corner looking around at the surrounding walls and crevices. He touched the walls with the backs of his hands and frowned when nothing looked out of the ordinary. "There's nuttin' here, Leo."

"No, no, no," I defiantly saw someone," Leonardo insisted shaking his head. Raphael looked up at the ceiling then got on his knees. Michelangelo came over to Leonardo to sit down next to him.

It took more than fifteen minutes for Raphael to call the clear that there wasn't anyone in the Lair. He'd searched around in all the rooms and the doors while Donatello looked back at the security footage to ensure nothing had been tripped before they reconvened back in the lab. By that time Leonardo had calmed himself and was regretting letting his imagination get the better of him. That was all it was, just a dream or his brain running away with itself.

"I checked the cameras," Donatello said. "And nothing was tripped."

"The doors are all secure,"Raphael nodded.

Leonardo looked down at the ground. Tired, sore, and angry with himself. "I'm sorry, must've been a dream or something."

Donatello smiled at his brother. "It's fine bro, it's been a long night."

"Hella long night," Raphael mumbled.

"Now I'm not saying I'm scared or anything," Michelangelo started from where he was covered in a blanket in Donatello's chair. "But if I was I would say that we should maybe, probably all sleep in here. Together... I mean I'm not scared but Leo! Leo's scared and we should, you know help him through this terrifying time by all sleeping in the same room." Leonardo cocked an eye ridge at his brother while Raphael crossed his arms and Donatello shook his head smirking.

"Fine, let's go get the blankets." Donatello started to walk away. "Don't move Leo." He called when Leonardo made the move to get up to help. Leonardo scowled at him pointedly before laying back down facing the door, his cheek pressed against the bedding. Donatello nodded once then turned and left with Raphael on his heels.

Michelangelo scooted his rolling chair closer to his brother until he could move his arm over to touch his shell. The glistening on the back of Leonardo's shell had dulled somewhat and the bandages around his arms feet and hands looked clean, not coppery with blood that had bled through which was a good sign in Michelangelo's mind. He started to hum a soft tune sitting back in the chair waiting for his brothers to get back. The melody was surprisingly comforting, soothing really. Leonardo's eyes grew heavy as his breath evened out. The grit that scratched at his eyes stung less as Michelangelo's humming voice filled his ears.

"Night Mike," Leonardo mumbled before his eyes closed to the sweet tune of his brother's humming voice.

* * *

**If anyone would like to toss ideas around and brainstorm with either this story or any other then feel free to PM me (... And yes, that is a confusing way to say that I've run into that annoying thing called writers block) :) **


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